I really wish we could examine why we feel the need to celebrate events with treats. Especially in light of promoting healthy lifestyles. The school as part of the cultural community could set such a great example of learning to make the changes that represent making healthier choices.
IT is the grown ups not the kids ! Part of setting the community culture would be working to find ways to include everyone, whether they have allergies or diabetes or other needs to be taken into consideration. How can we frame this so that schools see themselves as agents of positive change, and use it as an opportunity to let kids lead the change by coming up with their own healthy, inclusive ways to celebrate events.

I found this on a grade 4/5 curriculum for food and celebrations. I'm sure we all see the validity in food and how it reminds us of childhood bringing back warm fuzzy feelilngs. But somehow this has gone askew and become almost an artificial way to celebrate any and all events big and small. To me it is almost like an easy out, 'we had a cake to celebrate _____ leaving the office, having a baby, after a sports game, at school for this that and everything. There is no effort or very little effort needed to go buy a cake or a box of donuts. But to create a scrapbook, make a card, play some games takes thought and planning. I think we just eat...to eat...and eat some more. Plain old habit.
I've mentioned before how it is very strange for my husband (who is Chinese) not to be able to share his culture with his children through food. Dim sum, dumplings, large dinners out. Like every culture there is an identity which revolves around that cultures food. So we really have had to look at the fact that food doesn't define a culture as much as we make it out to. There are the Asian characters, beautiful in themselves, symbolic animals, all art in it's own right. We look at the clothing the flowers the music. Once we took away the food and really thought about it we discovered how food really was just a small part of the culture. So instead of schools teaching how food is the culture, yes, it is a large part. Why not also challenge the kids to see past the food and research other areas of heritage a culture has to offer.

Quote:

Food is a very important and necessary part of our lives. We use food for a variety of different purposes and the food that we choose to eat is selected because of a variety of different influences. Food also plays an important part in how we celebrate.

We eat food because we need it to live, it is what gives us the nutrients that we need for our bodies to grow. Another reason we eat food is because of psychological reasons. If we are happy, we eat; if we are sad, we eat; boredom, depression, and loneliness are other reasons that we eat. We also use food for social needs. When we have friends or family over we usually have some form of food to offer them, whether it be a light snack or a full meal.

The food that we choose to eat is also selected because of a number of different reasons. Many of us like certain foods because we have been raised eating those foods. In many cases, whatever our parents eat or like to eat is what we eventually enjoy eating also. The region where we live as well as economics determines much of our food selection. If we lived in China we would eat a lot of rice because it is what is grown there. If we lived in a dairy community, milk products would be a large part of our diet. Our background and our environment play a great role in what and how we eat.

Food is also a part of our many celebrations, and is used and selected for many of the same reasons as mentioned earlier. However, the way that food is used in celebrations varies from home to home, state to state, and country to country. The celebrations that we have and the ways that we celebrate them are affected by our culture, and there are many different cultures around the world. For us to understand why different foods are used in different celebrations we need to understand a little about culture and how it could affect the foods we use.

1. Culture is a learned experience; we learn it from our families and the people around us. It is the same with food. The food that we use for celebrations in our own homes as children are more than likely to become a part of the foods we use to celebrate with as adults.

2. Culture involves change; the foods that we use to celebrate with may change as we change. Our tastes as well as our celebrations may not even be the same.

3. Every culture resists change; even though some of the foods we use may change, many will stay the same because of what we learned as children.

4. We are unconscious of our culture. We may use the foods that we do because it is just so much a part of our lives.

Along with our culture and the other reasons talked about before, the idea that gathering around a table, uniting as friends and family is an important aspect of food and celebrations. When we celebrate it is usually with people we love and trust, or are trying to get to know. Food is a powerful element that can bring together many different people. The smell of food also is powerful in that it is able to bring old memories and events to mind (cinnamon=Christmas, a certain meal and its smell can remind a person of home).

Food is a large part of all holidays and celebrations, not just the major ones we hear about often, but also small everyday family celebrations. Food and celebrations unite people in the same family, giving them a common bond. Celebrations of all sorts, and the food that adorns them brings people from all over the world closer together around one table.

Hmmm this is a tough one. On the one hand, I agree that it seems that we tend to ignore other important elements that can be part of a celebration...especially things that take thought and effort (as mentioned: a card, a scrapbook, etc.). On the other hand, being Italian, food has definitely always been part of the celebrations in my family but not for reasons of laziness and so on.

I think it's because "back in the day" when food was healthy (no junk food, no pre-packaged food, no chemicals sprayed on our food, no additives, no preservatives, etc.), people understood that it took hard work during the day to be able to put good, wholesome food on the table for one's family or friends. And so, to be able to celebrate with food was also a celebration of what it took to get that food on the table. People had a greater appreciation for what they were being given. Food, in a way, WAS the gift.

But, things have certainly changed today, right? I mean, yea, it takes nothing to go buy a box of doughnuts and say happy birthday or whatever and in all reality, you didn't put THAT much thought into it. But that's how everything has changed. We have become a society of convenience with fast food, frozen meals, and "food" that can last on a shelf for longer than the life of a goldfish.

My grandmother always taught my mom that when people come over, you put out whatever you have to show a sign of offering, sacrifice, that you are willing to share whatever you have for someone you care about. I think these are the types of values that are positive when associated with food. For me, food has always been a symbol of what it brings together (family, friends, love, laughter, joy, togetherness) instead of how good it tastes.

And it should most certainly be the case that other things are looked at in each culture other than just the food. As you mentioned, chinese characters, flowers, animals, etc. are all equally as beautiful and important as the food.

I agree with you Lisa, food didn't used to be what it is now. People didn't eat constantly all day long. Food wasn't a reward, it was to, well to eat. Meals were carefully prepared with thought and fresh ingredients. Again as you said meals were healthy and wholesome. I also agree that the meal was 'the gift', it was a table of art and love to sit down and eat as a family.
Today my daughter came home from school and she said her teacher had bought them donuts. Again, why reward with food. I guess that is my main gripe. Grown ups can choose what events include food, but for it to be taught to our kids through sporting groups, school etc. is annoying and unhealthy to say the least AND we almost always as parents hear about it after the fact.

My rant:
Michael Smith was profiled the other night night on some food channel (Canadian chef) He said that we are over nourishing our children to the point that theu may not live as long as our generation.

This is what happens when we continue to feed children unnecesarily. 5 year olds have so much fat that the 1/2 inch needle on the Epipen can't penetrate the layer of fat to get to the muscle!

Society needs to wake up! Are we so busy with our careers and extra curicular activities that the schools feel they need to step in and celebrate birthdays etc for us?

Food has historically held value as an indicator of acceptance, social/class standing it can even equal love! People feed our children treats to develop an emotional bond, they aren't doing it for the kids...their doing it for themselves.

People self medicate with food, they use it to replace love or to fill some void in their lives. They're cramming cupcakes down the gullets of children in an effort to feel accepted and loved by someone. Stop whoring our children for your own selfish reasons!

It ruins the meaning of special treats too. Yesterday I'd made dessert for after supper. When our daughter came home and told us she was just given a boston cream then I was torn as to still serve dessert or not. If I didn't send a treat to school DON"T FEED ONE TO MY CHILD!

Don't apologize, it is nice to see someone else rant once in a while, I don' t feel so alone in my outbursts. Your mama bear costume is like the pants in the sisterhood movie. It is one size fits all, we just pass it around Thank goodness too, us allergy mama's have enough to do without each having to sew our own bear outfit.

.....my daughter just told me she learned today that coffee can give you heart rash and a headache and isn't very good for me (she tells me this as I just sat down with a cup of coffee) . I asked why they weren't teaching her that boston creams are full of fat and bad for them!!

As we waddle through schools with Boston cream pies and so many treat days you can't keep count:

Some good news from NYC ....

A Crackdown on Bake Sales in City Schools

By JENNIFER MEDINA
New York Times
Published: October 2, 2009

There shall be no cupcakes. No chocolate cake and no carrot cake. According to New York City’s latest regulations, not even zucchini bread makes the cut.

In an effort to limit how much sugar and fat students put in their bellies at school, the Education Department has effectively banned most bake sales, the lucrative if not quite healthy fund-raising tool for generations of teams and clubs.

The change is part of a new wellness policy that also limits what can be sold in vending machines and student-run stores, which use profits to help finance activities like pep rallies and proms. The elaborate rules were outlined in a three-page memo issued at the end of June, but in the new school year, principals and parents are just beginning to, well, digest them.

I'm looking into our Parent Council joining a local Consignment Event/Group. They hold massive sales 2x/year in an arena and sell everything from clothing, equipment, toys, books you name it they sell it.

I figure if the parents can donate items they no longer use to the parent council, we can price the items. Consigners get 70% of the sales and early entrance to the sale.

We have a donation box for a charity across the park from our school so those items too damaged for sale can easily be dropped off there. Even damaged clothing can be sold by charities-I forget who buys it but it gets recycled.

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